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French Connect is a European event aimed at the aviation industry.
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French Connect background and origins
Each year since 2004, senior aviation and tourism industry professionals, government ministers, representatives of the international media, and industry suppliers have attended French Connect. In 2013, French Connect was scheduled from 29 June to 2 July 2013 in Bordeaux. French Connect hosts an aviation conference, and also acts as forum where airports and airlines formally meet to develop their air service networks and negotiate business contracts.
In 2004, the first event was launched by Alistair Darling, the then UK Secretary of State for Transport and was hosted jointly by Manchester Airport and the recently branded Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which both desired to attract new airlines into their region. Shortly after the first event in Liverpool and Manchester, of the airlines who attended, Wizz Air launched new flights to Liverpool, Jet2.com opened a new base at Manchester and Flybe commenced services to both airports.
Each year the event has grown to its present level of 450 delegates, and the event has now been hosted by 10 different international regions from the UK, Ireland and France. The most recent event hosted by Paris Vatry Airport at Disneyland Paris from 18 – 20 March 2012. It was attended by 350 industry delegates, including 45 airlines and 90 airports, and the event included a ‘Champagne & Gastronomy’ Gala Dinner at the Vranken-Pommery Champagne Estate Pommery with guests being transported to Reims from Disneyland by a privatized high-speed train.
French Connect was created and has been organised by The Airport Agency since its inception in 2003. The Airport Agency is a marketing communications business with clients including Aeroports de Paris, Bordeaux Airport and Marseille Provence Airport.
Impact on the French aviation market
French Connect was created in 2004 in response to the demand from French airports for a dedicated event that would put them in contact with low cost carriers. Up to this point, the French market had proved difficult for the low cost carriers to break into. The event has played a part in opening up the French market to the low cost carriers, witnessed in the development of purpose-built low cost terminals in France at the likes of Marseille and Bordeaux, and the opening of domestic routes by low cost carriers (e.g. EasyJet from Bordeaux to Lyon). The event has since broadened its appeal by including politicians, tour operators, suppliers and international guest airports, and has evolved into a larger multi-national event and speakers and airline network planners attend from legacy carriers such as British Airways and Air France and airlines and airports from as far as Canada, Cyprus and the Middle East.